Rowdy People

Rock-Star Head-Case

Some Rock stars are phenomenally talented but extreme head cases as well. John Mayer comes to mind.

I'm starting think of Brad Keselowski in this way. He is either gonna be a sweeping success or he might just completely flame out. I'm not seeing quiet consistency here.

His refusal to change his driving style sounds eerily familiar to Dale Earnhardt and Tony Stewart. The boy is hard nosed, tough and has the mouth to prove it. The one thing that will gain him respect is winning. If he starts winning races he might just be a force to be reckoned with. If that hard nosed driving style does not deliver victories it might just earn enough paybacks to drop him out of the top 35. If he falls from the top 35 he will have to change his style.

So keep talking like Kidd Rock. You might just be an "All American Bad Ass." Kidd proved it. It's your turn Brad.

Double Shot Weekend

Bass and I were musing on the podcast about a double header weekend with an IRL race on Saturday and a NASCAR race on Sunday at the same track.

I know on the face of it some may think that it is ridiculous, but NASCAR is not the mortal enemy of Indy Racing. I mean the thought of a chocolate Martini is a little off putting, but have you ever had one? Some things that were never intended to go together work nicely.

Seriously ... we have ARCA races on Saturdays. That's a completely different series. I'm guessing though track promoters would never go for it because they like two dates and think they'll make more revenue. What about California or Atlanta, two tracks with notoriously low attendance.

Dunno ...it could help attract a entirely new fan base? I know when I saw the Indy cars at Richmond my jaw dropped. We could have some brie with our barbecue. Some bubbly with our brew?

And think about the publicity. Tony, Robby and Danica could run both races.

Logistics???? Too many haulers??? I figure if you can run a Nationwide race on Saturday at Bristol and a Cup race on Sunday a track like California has room.

I guess NASCAR does not really need the IRL, but it would be fun.

Paybacks Are Hell

So Brad might have had it coming. But I guarantee if he wasn't a rookie Carl would never have done that. Carl is arrogant.

Reading The Rowdy Tea Leaves

There's two boys out there with contracts up at the end of the year - Kevin Harvick and Kasey Kahne.

Happy is ripping the rubber down the road. The kid's on fire. Toyota and Gibbs have no interest. So why would Harvick leave Richard Childress? To have Tony Stewart be his boss? Dunno ...sounds like oil and water to me.

Rowdy survey says Harvick stays at Childress.

On the other hand we find Kasey Kane who recently said of Richard Petty Motorsports new relationship with Jack Roush...

"I expected the cars to be better ... you'd think man we gotta have a better balance on race cars...that's not the case"

I've heard Kasey call Tony Stewart a mentor. Plus my guess is Budweiser goes where Kasey goes. And remember the lawsuit between Ford and Kasey?

Rowdy survey says Kasey puts on a bow tie next year running a Chevy for Tony Stewart and Budweiser.

Oh ... did I mention Hendrick supplies cars for Tony Stewart?

Slam Dunk.

BF

Looking Through The Prism

So NASCAR confiscated the number 66 Prism Motorsports car of Dave Blaney after California. Prism is poorly funded and basically is a start and park organization. This means you don't really try to race the car. You just start it to get last place money. And, it's pretty good money too. Prism started the 66 of Blaney and the 55 of Michael McDowell and earned roughly $160,000 in Cali.

ESPN reports '' Bottom line, when the cars are sponsored Parson will race them. When they are not he'll likely park them unless he's made enough money from days like Sunday to take a chance. "

This got me thinking. On the one hand maybe Phil can attract a sponsor and "Go Racing?" On the other hand should we allow this in NASCAR? I mean he's playing possum with two cars here while Scott Speed is trying to get in on time. Is earning $160,000 a race a business model that allows him to save up enough cash to maybe race the last ten? Should the highest level of motorsports feature frauds? He is in keeping with the letter of the law, but not the spirit.

He won't get his car back in time to qualify at Las Vegas. I guess NASCAR understands the letter of the law too.

Buck's Question of The Week

Would you cry in victory lane if you won The Daytona 500?

Charity of The Week: 25 Years Later

Remember "We Are The World" for the African famine? Well ... technology has finally caught up with charity so that it is stunningly easy to donate to Haitian relief.

Quincy Jones, the force behind "We Are The World," has reconvened some of music's most talented artists 25 years later for version 2. The money will be donated to Haiti. The money comes when you buy the song and video.

It's only $3.28 and it really is a great update of the tune. That's less than the cost of a loaf of bread. And it's as easy as a click on your computer.

Head over to Itunes and type in We Are The World." Tell em Rowdy sent you.

You can also download a new version of Everybody Hurts produced by Simon Cowell. The song feature Rod Stewart and Michael Buble...two of my favorites.

BF

Punk of The Week: Danica Patrick

So a wishy washy Danica has decided to take the Nationwide ride of Kelly Bires, effectively nuking his chance at a title run. Bad Danica. Bad.

Ok so maybe it's not entirely her fault, but it's the fault of her aura that poor Kelly, who's "really bummed," cannot race at Daytona. The sheer enormity of her brand has completely overwhelmed our sport.

And, guilty little secret. I love every freaking minute of it. There you go the truth is out. I also liked Michael Jackson. Kim Kardashian is hot. I cried watching "You've Got Mail." Did I mention that I take baths?

I buy candles.

Can't wait for Saturday. Kiss, kiss Danica. Love always.

Doubleharvest.org - Charity of The Week

Ok so usually I am the silly blog guy or I finger the "NASCAR Punk of The Week." I've been thinking lately how could I do the reverse of Punk of The Week? I've also been thinking about how so many Rowdy members comment on how polite we all try to be each other even though we don't all share the same favorite driver. Then I thought about the PEACE in church ... you know the part where you're supposed to look em the eye and say "peace" to a fellow church member?

So I've decided to feature a NASCAR related "Charity of The Week" and ask you to introduce yourself and that charity to a Rowdy member you don't know. Ideally it will be with respect to a specific event that charity is promoting.

This week's charity is Double Harvest.

About twenty minutes ago during the rain delay Mike Wallace was on Speed talking about the great work they are doing in Haiti. As you know Haiti is a special place in a special mess. So lets introduce all of our Rowdy friends to Double Harvest.

Thanks Mike Wallace

BF

Peanut Butter & Jelly

Our own Turtledover just broke the stunning news that Dover Downs (the casino at Dover Speedway) may soon be adding card and dice games. Of course I think this is a swell idea. Racing + real gambling. I mean it's as good as drinking & smoking or maybe coffee beans dipped in chocolate. You ever notice how when you add two great things the sum is always better?

This got me thinking up things.

We always want to increase fan enjoyment at the track. The folks at Bristol have really managed to make the whole weekend a party ... big time. So what if we took our Q's (am I saying that right?) from Dover?

What sister product or event do we add to each track to enhance the overall zest, zeal and excitement for race weekend?

Now work with me here and give me your thoughts too. Here goes:

Daytona and "The Vodka Luge"

Michigan adds a Ray Charles Singing School

Kansas combines racing and Tapioca

California adds Cannabis (That one was a lay up) A two day Weedathon.

Richmond introduces Clay Aiken - The Roller Coaster.

Phoenix adds Polo. "Ralph Lauren and Roughnecks"

New Hampshire combines race cars and a Zoo. " Monkeys, Lemurs and Mark Martin"

Talladega: Racing and Wood Working. Villa vs. Johnson

So that's a start. What would you add?

BF